Fighting For Her Heart
by CaptainAmeliaDelbertDopplerFan
Summary: Delbert is still struggling to ask Amelia out on a formal date. He finally gets his chance, but someone comes in and ruins everything. The worst part is, it seems that Amelia is falling for the other man and has forgotten about Delbert! Or has she? ROMANCE DRAMA AND DANGER AHEAD! Rated T for safety and stuff
1. Chapter 1: Competition

Delbert Doppler had only one goal in mind as he wandered through the busy Crescentia Spaceport. The day was warm, and slightly humid, but not sticky. But Delbert was focused on the heat, or the fact that people were constantly pushing past him. He was going to ask Captain Amelia to dinner. If only he could find her ship…

"Um, hello. Do you know where the RLS Legacy would be moored?"

Delbert said as he tapped a man on the shoulder. He was a Felid, in a naval uniform, who looked just as lost as he was. He had brown hair, but bright green eyes. He was handsome, but not Robert Downey Jr. handsome.

"Huh? Oh hello Sir. Actually I couldn't tell you, but I am also looking for the Legacy. Perhaps we could help each other look?"

Delbert smiled and thought. It would be nice to have someone helping him, as he was hopelessly lost.

"Of course. I'm Dr. Delbert Doppler, astrophysicist."

"Alexander Tenifex. I'm a naval officer, which I suppose is a bit obvious." Alexander laughed.

Delbert nodded, and they walked off in the direction that they thought the Legacy would be. They would've spoken more, but they were so busy looking around and asking directions, that they didn't really have time. Soon, they found it. There were only about 10 or 15 people on the Legacy, most of them Delbert recognized as Amelia's crewmembers.

"Quite an impressive ship, isn't it Doctor?"

Delbert blinked, then nodded, remembering that this was Alex's first time on the Legacy.

"Yes. Yes it is..."

Suddenly, he heard someone clear their throat above him.

"Doctor, is there a reason for you and your companion gawking at my ship? Or did you merely come to admire?"

Delbert could barely hold back his smile, as Amelia walked down the gangplank to greet him. Alex's jaw dropped and his eyes glazed over.

"Blimey…" he mumbled so softly that Delbert couldn't hear him.

"I…Um… We merely came for a quick visit, Captain... If that's alright with you." Delbert said with a smile, as Amelia stood in front of him.

"As long as you are not here to deliver bad news, it will always be alright. As I said before, your astronomical advice is most helpful." She winked.

Delbert merely blushed. He heard Alex make kind of a strangled groan behind him, but decided to just leave him alone. There were far more pressing matters to attend to. There was just something about the way she tilted her head ever so slightly, moving her hair so that it blew away from her face in the warm breeze, that made Delbert just wanna grab her and run away so he could have her all to himself.

"I suppose I should introduce-"

Alex interrupted him by stepping forward and taking Amelia's hand.

"I'm Alexander Tenifex, Captain Amelia. And I must say, it is an honor to sail with the most beautiful captain in the Royal Navy." He said softly, gently kissing the back of her hand.

Delbert blinked in shock, waiting for Amelia to hiss some insult and snap Alexander back into his right mind, but instead she blushed and chuckled nervously.

"Ah… Nice to meet you Mr. Tenifex. I believe I was expecting you."

Alex straightened up and smirked.

"Yes, as I am the financier for this voyage, and my luggage has already been brought in."

Delbert's heart dropped. This man, who had managed to do things that Delbert still had yet to do, was going to be spending several weeks in space with _his _Amelia, all alone, and in a possibly dangerous situation. If Alex managed to somehow make Amelia fall for him, Delbert wouldn't stand a chance.

"Ah, yes. Would you like to talk in my stateroom? The crew is a bit noisy, and I believe there is a lot we must talk about."

She turned to Delbert and smiled, putting her hands behind her back.

"You are welcome to join us, Doctor. We could use some of your advice."

Ok, that hurt. Now, Delbert felt like he was intruding. He was tempted to spout out something along the lines of:

"_No, I wouldn't want to be a third wheel. You and your new boyfriend need to get more acquainted, even though I'm the one who's madly in love with you."_

But he really did need to be alone to ask her out, especially before Alex did. He would hang around until Alex left, and make sure Alex didn't cross any lines, then ask her.

"I would be happy to join you."

Alex looked angry for a moment, then faked a smile.

"Lead the way, Captain. We will follow."

Amelia nodded once and proceeded up the gangplank. Alex smiled and bumped Delbert slightly, making sure he was right behind Amelia. Delbert blinked, and merely followed Alex. He couldn't get in a fight with Alex, because if he did, Amelia would be angry, and Alex would probably revoke all the money he put into this voyage, making Amelia even more angry and pushing her even farther away. Once they reached Amelia's stateroom, Alex bumped Delbert out of the way and sat in the chair closest to Amelia's desk, as Amelia closed the door. Delbert fell to the floor, and Amelia tilted her head as she turned to him.

"Are you alright Doctor?"

Delbert coughed once and nodded.

"I'm fine, Captain. I um… Merely lost my footing."

Amelia smiled softly. Oh how she had missed his bumbling. She would never admit it, but when she saw Delbert standing on the dock, her heart jumped. She had seen him wandering around the spaceport for weeks, only occasionally waving at her, before running off as if he suddenly decided against visiting her. Now, he was here, in her stateroom. Except for now, there was Alex, who seemed more interested in wooing her than actually talking about the voyage. She sat down, and watched as Delbert sat in the chair across from her desk, then wondered why Alex seemed so close to her all of a sudden. She moved her chair slightly closer to Delbert, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth as she realized that Delbert had actually put on cologne for her. She managed to mask it as she leaned on her desk a little, and began addressing Alex.

As Amelia and Alex discussed the route, Delbert sat there not feeling as much of a third wheel as he thought he would. Occasionally, Amelia would throw an affectionate smile his way, before turning back to Alex. Delbert smiled, and then began to formulate a plan. Even if Delbert did take Amelia on a date that night, Alex would still have several weeks to woo Amelia, while Delbert was at home missing her. He was putting the final details of his plan together when Alex finally checked his watch.

"Well, Captain… I believe I must be headed to my cabin. Good day, Doctor."

Delbert nodded once, then waited until Alex was almost out of the room, before he addressed Amelia. He gently tapped her hand, and blushed as his brown eyes met her green ones.

"Yes?"

"Captain, I was wondering if you… Maybe needed an extra astrophysicist on board?"

Amelia thought a moment, and smiled.

"I suppose I do… It would be wonderful to have you on board, Doctor."

Delbert smiled, his heart swelling. He stood as Amelia did, and they both walked towards the door. Most of the crew had gone to their cabins to get ready, and the only sounds were the sounds of the Legacy settling. They reached the gangplank, and Delbert turned to Amelia, his heart pounding.

"I need to run home to grab some of my belongings, but I'll be back before you cast off…"

Amelia laughed softly.

"As long as you don't bring along that ridiculous suit."

Delbert laughed and pretended to be offended, happy that he was finally somewhat alone with her, and that she was being playful.

"I suppose I could leave it at home… I promise I'll be back soon, Captain."

"I'll hold you to that, Doctor."

Amelia smiled and watched as he nearly fell all the way down the gangplank. He finally reached the bottom and smiled nervously up at her. She merely smiled and watched him run off. Her eyes glazed over slightly. There was something about that man that made her heart flutter. She smiled and walked back to her stateroom, where she sat as she waited.

IWDNWDNIWDNDINJDNJJNNJDWJNNJ ICDJDCNJ

That night, Amelia was alone up on the bridge, her heart breaking. Delbert hadn't come back. If he had, he had promised to talk to her as soon as he arrived… But now they were miles away from Montressor and the Crescentia Spaceport… And still no Delbert. No calls, or messages… Amelia barely fought tears as she leaned on the dashboard. The wind up on the bridge had gotten fiercer, but she merely closed her eyes and let the wind blow her tears into her hair.

"Delbert… Where are you…?" she whispered. The only response she received was the sound of the wind in the solar sails. She was glad the crew had gone to bed early, because she didn't know if she could've held her tears in any longer. Suddenly, she heard footsteps behind her, and she wiped her face quickly.

"Captain? Are you alright?"

Amelia turned her face away as Alex joined her on the bridge. The stars made his eyes glow, and she fought the urge to push him.

"Yes, Mr. Tenifex."

"Are you…Crying?"

"No. I'm perfectly alright."

Alex stared at her.

"You are crying. Captain, are you sure you're alright?"

Amelia looked at him, then felt her sadness building in her chest.

"No. I'm not. The one man I wanted to come on this voyage the most… The one man who promised me he would be here… Isn't."

"Doctor Doppler? I apologize in advance Captain, but you cannot be serious."

Amelia's gaze hardened.

"Oh believe me, I am. Doctor Doppler and I… We…"

"Are good friends?" Alex finished, stepping towards her a bit more.

"Yes."

Alex gently placed his hand on top of hers, flashing a genuine smile. Amelia's gaze shot to their hands, her face heating up.

"Captain… You are very beautiful… And if Doctor Doppler broke a promise to you, then he must not care about you…" he said softly, using his free hand to lift her chin towards him.

Amelia didn't want to believe him, but for some reason, what he was saying made sense. But even though it made sense, she knew one thing. No matter how much Alex wanted to kiss her, or how handsome he was, she didn't love him. She put her hand against his chest, pushing him back a little.

"I must be getting to bed, Mr. Tenifex, as should you. Good night."

She turned and walked away briskly, thinking she left him disappointed, when actually she left him smirking.

"Oh yes. She definitely wants me." Alex whispered as he walked off to his own cabin.

Amelia curled up in her bed, and laid down, not noticing that the communicator on her desk had a 'new message' light blinking on it, or noticing the quickly-written note on her chair. As she turned off the light and fell asleep, the light kept blinking.

Out on the deck, Delbert ran up to the bridge, panting hard with a bruise on his arm that was throbbing painfully. When he had arrived on the Legacy, he had headed towards his room first to put his things away. He had not been expecting 3 of Amelia's crewmembers to be waiting there, and definitely didn't expect to be thrown below deck. That's where he had been the whole time. He had tried to escape, knowing Amelia would be very cross when she realized that he wasn't there. But he couldn't get out, no matter how hard he tried.

"Amelia? Amelia are you here?" he whispered into the darkness. He had left a note on her chair in her stateroom when he first got out, because he had checked there first for her, but she wasn't in her stateroom. He left the note just in case she came back before he found her. He had run around as much as he could without being captured again, and still no Amelia. It was night now, and he knew that since Amelia wasn't up at the bridge, she was probably in bed. He sighed and slowly walked back to his cabin.

"Oh, hello Doctor."

Delbert jumped when he heard Alex's voice.

"Oh! Hello, Alex…"

"Looking for Captain Amelia?"

"Um… Actually yes. I wanted to let her know I was here."

Alex shrugged lightly.

"Well she's gone to bed already… I'm afraid you've missed her."

Delbert's ears drooped slightly.

"I suspected as much. Did she seemed worried that I wasn't here?"

"Huh? Oh… No. No, she was fine. I mean, sure she was a little upset but… I managed to take her mind off of it, like a good… _friend."_

Delbert didn't like the way Alex said friend. It sounded more like… Nevermind.

"Well, I must be off. Good night Doctor."

"Uh… Good night Mr. Tenifex."

Delbert walked dazedly to his stateroom. If Amelia had gotten over his breaking a promise so quickly… She either truly loved him…

Or was falling for Alexander harder than she could've ever fallen for him.

_**A/N: HEY! Sorry I haven't updated in a while… I got writer's block on my other story. So now I'm starting a new one until I get inspired! Hope you like it! Review please and I'll update faster! C Ya Boofy! :D**_


	2. Chapter 2: Catching Up

When Delbert woke up the next morning, his heart was aching so much that he didn't even feel like climbing out of bed. He lay in his cold bed, on his side, staring at the wall. There was no reason to even get up…Except to tell Amelia he was there… If she even cared… Might as well. He got dressed quickly, then walked towards Amelia's stateroom, carefully staying out of everyone's way.

A few minutes later, he stood in front of her stateroom door.

"Alright… Here we go…"

He slowly raised his hand up to knock, when he heard sounds from inside. He blinked, then gently pressed his ear up against the door.

"Good morning, Amelia…"

"Huh? What are you doing in here Mr. Tenifex?"

"I merely brought your morning tea… As a friendship gesture to apologize for last night…"

Delbert mentally slapped himself. That was the perfect thing to make Amelia smile! She LOVED her tea…

"O-Oh. Well… Thank you."

"You're welcome. Do you need anything else?"

"No… That's alright."

"Are you…Sure?"

"Nnh...W-What are you doing?"

"Nothing… I'm merely trying to relax my… Oh so stressed captain… As a friend…"

"Please stop… This isn't professional…"

"Most things that are good… Aren't professional…"

Ok, now Delbert was worried. Amelia's words were asking Alex to stop whatever he was doing, but her tone was more like begging him not to. Immediately, Delbert's vision washed red, and he kicked the door down.

"STOP!" he yelled, then his anger melted into embarrasement.

Amelia was sitting in her desk chair, her face bright red, with Alex standing behind her chair, his hands on her shoulders. What they were doing, was about 86% innocent. Amelia jumped up and stared at him.

"D-Delbert?" she whispered in disbelief. Once she managed to get over her overall shock, she put her hands behind her back and turned to Alex.

"Mr. Tenifex, I believe you should exit, as Doctor Doppler and I have a lot to discuss."

Alex immediately went rigid.

"Er… No disrespect intended, but would it be alright if I stayed? Seeing as Doctor Doppler joined us yesterday…"

Delbert was about to speak up, but Amelia shot Alex a look so fiery, that Delbert shut his mouth.

"Um… I'll just be leaving…" Alex said quickly as he scooted towards the door.

Right as he passed Delbert, he bumped his shoulder, almost knocking Delbert over. Amelia rolled her eyes and gestured for Delbert to enter. Delbert blinked, then walked in quietly. He slowly closed the door behind him and gasped when Amelia was right in front of him, her eyebrow raised. Her eyes narrowed, and Delbert prepared himself to be slapped for kicking her door.

"I'm s-sorry I kicked your door I just heard voices and I thought the worst and I was just trying to protect you and-"

Amelia cut him off by pulling him into a warm hug, burying her face in his shirt. Delbert blinked and tried not to clutch her to him.

"I thought you were still on that blasted spaceport." She mumbled, not caring that she was being very unprofessional, and emotional.

Delbert blushed and hugged her back gently, sensing that she was a little distraught.

"Well I… I p-promised I would b-be here, didn't I Captain?" he whispered, rubbing her back softly.

This was the closest they had been since their affectionate embrace during the Treasure Planet voyage… But it felt so right…

"Yes, you did… I apologize for believing that you would break a promise."

"It's alright, Amelia."

Amelia took a step back, her smile staying planted on her face as she sat down in her desk chair. Delbert sat in the chair closest to her, knowing she wouldn't mind the closeness.

"I'll admit that I was a bit worried when you didn't check in with me."

"Well… I uh… Got a bit sidetracked."

"By what, exactly?"

Delbert thought about telling her about his being captured, but he knew that she didn't need the stress of knowing that some of her crewmembers were not to be trusted.

"I…Um… Well, I met this… Er… Professor and… We t-talked for a while and… I guess I lost track of time…"

Amelia rolled her eyes as she listened to him talk. He truly was the worst liar.

"I suppose that's an acceptable excuse… Now, about our route…"

For the next couple of hours, Amelia and Delbert sat in her stateroom laughing and talking.

"…And that's why I've never been back to that restaurant." Delbert finished, as Amelia finally stopped laughing.

"That's absolutely dreadful!" Amelia smiled as she wiped her eyes and rubbed her aching stomach.

Delbert merely smiled and sipped the tea that he had prepared for both of them almost an hour ago. When Amelia had finally managed to regain her composure, she sipped her tea and gently set the cup down.

"Delbert, I have a serious question to ask you."

Delbert's heart stopped. This couldn't be good.

"Um… Anything."

"Why did you visit the spaceport so often? I saw you many times, and not once did you seem to be doing anything particularly normal."

Delbert wrung his hands quietly out of Amelia's view, his mind racing to find an excuse.

"W-Well… I…Um…"

"Delbert, I want the truth."

Delbert looked at her, her bright green eyes practically staring into his soul. He sighed and looked directly into those eyes he had come to love. He knew she would probably reject him if he told her how he felt right now… But she did deserve to know why he had been around the spaceport so much.

"Well… As you know, since the Benbow is being repaired, Jim and Sarah have been there helping out… Leaving me alone a lot. At first, I thought that maybe if I came to the spaceport, I wouldn't feel so alone. Unfortunately, I felt even more alone. Naturally, one day I was preparing to leave… When I saw something that made me…Stop."

Amelia had tilted her head slightly, obviously confused, and intrigued.

"And what was that, Delbert?"

Delbert managed a small smile, as he struggled with the next few words.

"Um… I… I saw the L-Legacy and… I w-walked over and s-s-saw you on it and I… I waved…"

Amelia smiled and tapped her chin lightly.

"I do believe I remember that day… That was the day I was preparing for my 2 week voyage, that was canceled because the financier's wife called about something outrageous. Oh, I apologize Delbert. I interrupted you."

Delbert nodded slightly and continued, his face heating up as he realized that Amelia had somehow managed to get closer.

"O-Oh i-it's alright… As I was saying… Um… I suppose that after that… It became a h-habit to visit the spaceport for a while… Until I…Well… When I came to visit you with Alexander… I had a somewhat different goal in m-mind…"

Delbert knew it was risky, but this may be the only time he actually got alone with her.

"What goal did you have in mind?" Amelia asked softly, their hands almost touching on top of her desk.

"Amelia… I wanted… Actually, I want… I want to ask you…I-If… If you would…"

Suddenly, there was a short knock, then Alex burst in.

"Captain! Oh. Was I… Interrupting something?" he shot a glare at Delbert as he and Amelia jumped apart.

Amelia was the first to recover. She stood and put her hands behind her back, standing straight and sure-footed.

"No, Mr. Tenifex. Do you need something?"

"The uh…The navigator says we've arrived."

Amelia nodded once.

"Alright. I'll be out in a moment."

"Aye, Captain."

Alex hesitated before closing the door, then pressed his ear against the door quietly once it was closed.

"Well, I believe it's time we departed. We shall continue this conversation later, if you'd like?"

Delbert nodded and stood.

"Uh…Sure. I mean, yes." He said as he stuck his hand out, and she shook it.

Both of them felt the spark. It was quick, but definitely there. Neither of them wanted to admit how they felt yet, so they ignored it.

"Good day…Delbert." Amelia said, her voice softening.

"Good day, Amelia…" he replied, letting her hand go gently.

Delbert then left her stateroom, not noticing Alex hiding in the shadows. Amelia followed, an affectionate smile on her face as they went separate ways.

Alex peered into Amelia's stateroom quietly before Amelia closed it and locked it, noticing that she had not noticed the note that had been on her chair, and was now on the floor. He smirked to himself and walked off to his own area, knowing that someway…Somehow…

He had to get that note.

_**A/N: TIRED… Short author's note this time… Review please! C Ya Boofy! :D**_


	3. Chapter 3: Conflict

This was the first time that Amelia ever felt this way. She couldn't focus on anything, and she was smiling like a love struck buffoon constantly! Every time someone tried to get her attention, she would stare at them blankly, then respond. She tried to give orders, but her tone sounded so dazed that most of the crew would hesitate before following them. She tried to think about ship-related things, but for some reason nothing seemed important anymore. She couldn't even focus long enough to verbally berate Alexander, which made him want to be around her even more. There was just something about her visit with Delbert that just… Made her dazed. She wanted so desperately to talk to him again, but she knew that it was probably too soon… The crew would get suspicious.

It was afternoon now, and Amelia was more dazed than ever. She was now finding it hard to even maintain her captain's façade. Her mind was on only one thing.

What was it that Delbert had wanted to ask her? And why did she want him to try to ask her again?

Amelia let out a long sigh and she let her shoulders droop ever so slightly. She needed a break… Away from everyone.

"Mr. Johnson, please inform me if anything goes wrong. I will be in my stateroom."

Mr. Johnson, the helmsman that made Amelia somewhat uncomfortable, nodded and stared out into the Etherium with a blank look on his face. Amelia stood there for a moment, wondering if he was going to move, then turned and walked towards her stateroom. She headed up the stairs, turned the corner, and sighed softly. She put her hand on the knob, ready to turn it, when she heard a very familiar:

"Captain?"

Amelia spun around, and her heart jumped when she realized that she was face-to-face, noses almost touching, with…

"Mr. Tenifex… What do you want?"

Alex merely smiled as Amelia took a step back to put more space between them. She was glaring, her hands balled into fists at her sides.

"Why so sharp all of a sudden Captain? As I recall, you seemed a bit lost this morning…"

Amelia took another small step back, her defenses slightly weakened by Alex's soothing tone. Something about the way he spoke… And the way he made advances towards her… She only felt slightly threatened. More like flattered. Something in the back of her mind was telling her not to push him away, but rather play along with him. But Amelia knew better than that… She didn't love him, not at all. She loved Delbert. That much was true, but everyday she spent trying to push Alex away, only made the persistent Felid come closer. And Delbert seemed more distant than ever.

"I suppose I was a bit disoriented today, but I assure you, I am perfectly alright."

Alex smiled as he stepped towards her. He knew the effect he was having on her… She was confused. She wanted him, but she was convinced that she was supposed to be with Doctor Doppler. She was desperately trying to hold onto whatever is was she felt with Doppler on the Treasure Planet voyage. But if there was one thing that Alex was good at,

It was making people let go.

"Are you sure? You seem to be very…Out of character…" he said softly, putting his hands on her arms. He was backing her towards the wall, trying to bring her out of her comfort zone so that she would drop her defenses a little…Just enough so that he could leave his impression without crossing any lines. He had her against the wall out of anyone's view, staring right into her eyes, making her cheeks tint pink.

"Mr. T-Tenifex… I would a-appreciate it if you would refrain f-from-"

Stuttering. Surefire sign that she was fighting the urge to just melt into his hands.

"From what… Amelia?"

Amelia instantly went rigid. The way he just said her name… It reminded her so much of Delbert, who showed so much concern… Except Alex seemed to have different intentions. Everything in her body was screaming to push Alex away before someone saw them, but she couldn't move. She was trapped under the power of his green eyes.

"Amelia, I have just one question."

Amelia couldn't even reply. She merely nodded slightly. Alex smirked and began closing the gap between them.

"If I told you that I was falling for you… Would you kiss me?"

Amelia blinked, and was about to push him away, when…

"A-Amelia? What…What are you doing?"

Amelia pushed Alex away as hard as she could, then turned her attention to Delbert, who looked like he just wanted to run off and cry. She took a step towards him.

"It wasn't what it looked like, Delbert."

Delbert suddenly switched from sad to angry, his face burning so much that he was practically radiating heat.

"Then what was it Amelia? It looked like you and Mr. Tenifex here were pushing me out of the picture! If you truly didn't want me in your life romantically, you could've just told me! You led me on like your little love struck puppy… Did you think that I would just be clueless the whole voyage? I thought we had something, Amelia. I truly did. And I was willing to act upon how I felt… How I thought _you_ felt."

He turned to Alex, who had been rolling his eyes for a good 2 minutes.

"And you…" Delbert growled, as he stepped right in front of Alex, who looked a little worried.

"What about me? A bit jealous over the fact that I can make the infamous Captain Amelia melt in minutes, when you can barely even hug her without having a hernia?"

With that, Delbert pushed Alex as hard as he possibly could. Alex went flying into the wall, screaming the entire time. Once he hit the wall, he groaned and passed out. Amelia hissed at Delbert and poked him right in the chest.

"What on Montressor do you think you're doing?! This is _my _ship, and therefore you are out of order!"

Delbert growled, not caring that he was in love with Amelia. Obviously she was in love with Alex.

"Well then, _Captain… _I humbly inform you that the next time we stop for supplies, I will be leaving."

Amelia was in shock for a moment.

"…You don't mean that." She said softly, her defenses lowering.

"Oh, believe me Captain, I do. I am a man of my word."

"I… I order you to remain on this ship for the remainder of the voyage." Amelia managed, struggling not to just break down sobbing. She didn't want to fight with him…

Delbert growled and prepared to walk away. Yes he was dying inside… Yelling at her… But she needed to know how he felt.

"I am not a crewmember Amelia. I came here for you… You requested for me to come. To be with you. To spend time with you, and assist you with the voyage. Apparently, you have Mr. Tenifex for all of that."

"Mr. Tenifex was never originally part of the equation, Doctor! I have no interest in him at all!"

"That is not the point I am trying to make right now, Amelia!"

Both of them were pretty much livid by now, not caring that most of the ship could probably hear them.

"Then what is the point?!"

"The point is that I've fallen for you, and I cannot stand to see you with anyone else! I thought that perhaps you felt even a little attraction towards me, but apparently not! Well, now you won't have to worry about me anymore. You might as well start referring to yourself as Mrs. Tenifex."

Amelia was speechless. She didn't even like Alex that much. Seeing that she had no response, Delbert turned and walked off to his cabin where he would begin packing. Amelia contemplated following, but then decided that it wasn't a good idea and stormed off to her stateroom. She slammed the door, and heard Delbert slamming his door.

Once she finally realized what just happened, she fell to her knees and just cried. She cried harder than she did when Arrow died. She did love Delbert, and had fallen for him… But she couldn't just say that. She knew she was being emotional, but when it came to Delbert, she was just like any other overly-emotional woman. She would've cried for hours, had she not seen the piece of paper underneath her desk. She wiped her eyes and picked up the note, realizing that her hands were shaking. She slowly opened it, and almost started sobbing again as she read it.

_**Amelia,**_

_**I just wanted to let you know I made it onto the ship safely. I didn't want to worry you… I know I promised to check in, and I got a little sidetracked… And you seemed a bit busy. I didn't want to get in the way of you and your duties. I know how much the Legacy means to you. I apologize, and I hope this makes up for it. Oh and… The gift is a f-friendship gesture.**_

_** -Delbert**_

That was when Amelia noticed the small package hidden in the corner of her desk. She picked it up and sat in her chair, her heart pounding. She slowly unwrapped the tissue paper, and inside was the most amazing sapphire necklace… It was simple, yet looked as if it held a hint of surprise, which was a lot like Amelia. She couldn't fight the smile as she put it on. Suddenly, she looked up and saw that her communicator had a message. She pushed the button, and listened.

"_**Um… Oh h-hi Amelia I wasn't sure if you got the note and I wanted to make sure you knew I was here… I would hate for you to worry. Anyway, I'm headed to my cabin, so if I don't check in with you, I'm probably there."**_

Suddenly, there was a dull thud and a groan.

"_**Grab him and put him below decks. Keep him there, but if he does get out, don't get him again. We don't want her suspicious. Hey, is that thing on?"**_

Amelia's eyes widened. That was Mr. Tenifex. He had captured Delbert? That must've been why it was so convenient for him to show up that night… Amelia hissed and stood up. She stomped out of her stateroom, and saw the bruised-up Alex standing there looking dazed.

"Huh? Oh hello Amelia… Come to check on me?"

Amelia merely hissed and punched him as hard as she could. She hit him right in the nose, with a satisfying crack. He hit the floor, his nose bleeding.

"Mr. Sludge! Arrest this man and stow him below decks! And do NOT let him escape!" she ordered.

"Um… On what charges ma'am?"

"Because I said so Mr. Sludge. I am the captain, therefore I do not need a reason to arrest a man. Learn to follow orders correctly."

Mr. Sludge apologized and nodded. Amelia watched as 4 or 5 men came and dragged the protesting Alexander Tenifex away.

"Wait! Captain Amelia wait!"

Amelia ignored his cries, and sighed. She turned and walked slowly to Delbert's cabin. She hesitated before knocking, and listened as she heard him shuffling to the door. He opened it slowly, and Amelia gasped. His hair was messed up, his clothes were kind of rumpled, and things were thrown all around his cabin. His suitcases were open, but it looked more like he had started packing, but suddenly went crazy and started throwing stuff. He glared at her.

"Hello."

"Hello, Delbert."

"Do you need something Captain? I'm in the middle of something."

"I can see that." Amelia replied.

Delbert didn't mean to sound so bitter, but he had just had his heart broken. Amelia looked at him, then sighed.

"I must apologize for what happened between us just now. Nothing was going on between Mr. Tenifex and I. He was trying to court me, but I denied him. I discovered your message… And it appears that Mr. Tenifex was indeed the one who captured you. He has been detained and arrested. I…I also found…"

She gestured to the necklace, which matched her uniform perfectly. Delbert's face lit up.

"You found the gift."

"Yes. And what a marvelous gift it is…" Amelia said softly, smiling.

Delbert smiled and straightened up a little.

"Would you like to come inside for a moment?"

Amelia thought and nodded.

"Just for a moment, I suppose."

Amelia stepped inside, and Delbert closed the door. Amelia looked around and chuckled softly.

"Interesting redecorating idea, Delbert…"

Delbert chuckled nervously and started moving things and putting them back in their spots.

"I suppose I did get a bit carried away…"

"That is officially the understatement of the year." Amelia laughed.

Delbert merely smiled and took a deep breath.

"Amelia, I… I was wondering… If a-after the voyage is over and we return to Montressor… Do you… Perhaps…"

"Yes, Delbert?"

Amelia was about to jump out of her skin, she was so nervous and excited. He was finally going to do it. And no Alex to interrupt them.

"I…Would you like to… Go to dinner with me sometime?" Delbert asked, his heart pounding.

Amelia smiled and tapped her chin lightly.

"I suppose I could fit you into my schedule…"

Upon seeing the worried look on Delbert's face, Amelia laughed and flicked his nose.

"That means yes."

Delbert blushed and laughed with her. Once they finished laughing, Amelia invited him back to her stateroom to discuss how to get back to Montressor, seeing as all the drama had caused them to run off-course. They talked about their new route, then had tea together. It was pretty late by the time Delbert told her goodnight. He smiled as Amelia walked with him to her door.

"Well… Goodnight Captain…"

Amelia smiled and shook his hand.

"Goodnight…"

She hesitated, then kissed his cheek.

"…Delbert."

Then she closed the door, and Delbert walked to his cabin, his grin growing. In the distance, you could faintly hear Alex yelling:

"Amelia! It would be really captain-like if you DIDN'T SEND ME TO JAIL!"

_**A/N: AHH! Omg this chappie was long… I hope it's ok! I'm really sleepy and NO IT'S NOT OVER lol REVIEW PLEASE! Shoutout to The Huntress and her Prey and all my reviewers! You guys rock! C Ya Boofy! **_


	4. Chapter 4: Beginning With You

"Hello Delbert."

Delbert jumped as he heard that oh-so-familiar voice behind him. He had just finished packing up his things, and was just preparing to leave the Legacy. Most of the crew had already left, which left he and Amelia.

He turned and smiled at her, noticing how she had already changed out of her uniform. She still had on Academy-issued clothing, but now it was a tshirt with the Academy logo on it, sweatpants, and tennis shoes.

Amelia looked down at her clothes and sighed.

"I must admit that this is not necessarily my style, but they are comfortable, and after all we went through on this voyage, I believe I need some comfort."

Delbert nodded and took a small step towards her.

"It doesn't look bad on you, either."

Amelia merely laughed and walked with him off of the Legacy, after he got his luggage out of his room. It was somewhat late at night, so there weren't really any pedestrians around. Amelia was grateful for this, mainly because she had her pinky finger linked with Delbert's, and also because she didn't want to deal with a bunch of people. The police had already taken Alexander away, but he had apparently escaped somehow and was now 'plotting his revenge'. Amelia didn't really care though.

"We'll... I suppose I will see you tomorrow night for our d-date?"

Amelia nodded and unlinked her pinky from his. They were both blushing, making their faces glow slightly. Delbert didn't want to leave her, and Amelia didn't want to leave either. But it was late, and they were both exhausted.

"Goodnight, Delbert..."

Delbert smiled and repositioned his bag over his shoulder.

"Goodnight, Amelia..."

Both of them stood there for a moment, slightly unsure of what to do.

Suddenly, as if taken over by an unknown force, Delbert placed one hand on her hip and the other on her face... Pulled her close...

A/N: MWAHAHAHAHA! Lol sorry its short but it's more like a filler... Or a preview... Or something o.o REVIEW UNLESS YOU GUYS WANT IT TO BE CLIFFHANGER CITY! C Ya Boofy!


	5. Chapter 5: Who Belongs To Who?

Amelia shot up in bed, her heart pounding. She looked around, and sighed in relief as she realized that she was in her small apartment, and Delbert was nowhere in sight.

"It was just a dream…"

They had finished the voyage about 2 days ago, and Amelia still couldn't stop thinking about Delbert. They had planned to go on their date the night after they arrived back on Crescentia Spaceport, but both of them realized how tired they were, and decided that it was better to wait to have the date a few days later, than to go on their date the next night and be constantly arguing out of crankiness. They had departed quickly, but right as their carriages, destined for opposite directions, pulled off… Amelia remembered looking back, and meeting Delbert's same lovestruck gaze. Her heart had literally jumped in her chest, and she remembered looking away as her carriage took off.

Amelia stood up quietly, walked to her bathroom, and splashed cold water on her face. She dried her face slowly, not in a hurry at all. Once her face was dry, she stared in the mirror at her tired reflection.

"The dream was so real. But I suppose it was a bit silly to believe that Delbert would be that bold…" she sighed.

She walked to her kitchen, ready to grab a glass of water. Suddenly, she heard a soft rustling in the livingroom. She slowly set her glass down, and walked in that general direction.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" she called into the darkness.

Nothing. Not even more rustling. Amelia listened so hard that her ears hurt. Still nothing. Not even any breathing.

"Hm." She said softly, then turned and began walking back to her kitchen. Suddenly, she felt a hand cover her mouth and yank her against a body. She kicked and squirmed, getting more and more angry. Her captor merely laughed.

"Did you miss me?" he whispered in her ear.

Amelia's eyes widened as she realized exactly who it was. But before she could react, the man had covered her mouth and nose with a funny-smelling rag, and everything went dark.

_**IEUIEFUFEURIHOFRINHOGVRINHOI HONEIE**_

Delbert had just settled down enough to sleep, when Jim started pounding on his bedroom door.

"DOC! DOC WAKE UP YOU GOT A RANSOM NOTE!"

Delbert blinked and quickly got up and threw on his robe. He yanked the door open and stared at Jim.

"I got a what?"

Jim just laughed.

"I'm just kidding. I don't know what it is." He said as he handed a small, white, unmarked envelope to Delbert. "It came a few minutes ago."

Delbert took it, and expected Jim to walk away, but Jim merely stood there waiting for him to open it.

"Oh and you're welcome for us watching your house while you were gone." He said sarcastically.

"Alright…" Delbert tore it open, and began reading it, only half-listening.

_**Delbert-**_

_**Hello again, old friend. Surely you remember me… Anyway, skip the annoying pleasantries and let's cut to the chase. Come down to the old abandoned warehouse near the docks at noon… Unless you never want to see her again. I will have security lined up, so do not think of trying anything. **_

_**-Alexander**_

Delbert's heart was clenching and pounding and aching so much that he barely noticed that Jim had snatched away the letter and was reading it in disbelief.

"Doc, who is Alexander? Who's the girl? What's going on?"

Delbert was about to answer when Jim stopped him.

"Hold on. There's something else in here."

He slowly pulled out another piece of paper from the envelope and stared at it.

"Uh oh. Doc… You'd better take a look at this…"

He handed it to Delbert, who was still in a little shock. He slowly took the paper, and realized that it was a photograph. In it, Amelia was tied to a chair, gagged and obviously too tired to move. Her face was pale, and Delbert could see bruises and rashes forming on her arms from the constant rubbing of the ropes. She was staring at the camera, her eyes practically begging him to rescue her. There were slight tears, but she was obviously trying to hold them back. She looked so frail and weak… It made Delbert fidgety. Jim put his hand on his shoulder.

"What're you gonna do?" he asked.

Delbert tore his gaze from the photo and stared into space determinedly.

"I have to go save her Jim…"

"I'll come with you."

"No, I need to go alone… He's not gonna care about you. If he gets the chance, Alexander will kill you as fast as he can."

"He'll kill you if you go, Doc."

"I can't let Amelia fall into his hands… She… She means a lot to me."

Jim smiled and patted his shoulder.

"Ok then, Doc. I'll make sure Mom doesn't get suspicious, but if you don't come back in like 2 days I'm calling the cops."

Delbert nodded and managed a weak smile.

"I'll be back… Hopefully in one piece."

Jim laughed tightly, and turned to walk downstairs.

"I'll make sure Mom doesn't ask any questions. Ok, Doc?...Doc?"

He stopped and turned back to Delbert, who was staring at the photo like it was the one thing that was keeping him alive. He had tears in his eyes, and his hands were shaking. He tore his gaze from the photo long enough to look at Jim, and nod.

"Alright, Jim. Thank you."

Jim nodded and smiled.

"It'll be ok, Doc. Ok?"

Delbert managed a smile, then watched as Jim ran down the stairs to the kitchen where Sarah was making breakfast. He took a deep breath, then dashed back into his room to grab anything he thought he'd need to fight Alex.

Downstairs, Jim put on a happy face and kissed his mom on the cheek.

"Hey mom! What's for breakfast?"

Sarah smiled, a bit confused as to what Jim was up to. He was never really this happy in the morning.

"Good morning, Jim. Did you wake up Delbert?"

"Uh… Yeah. He um… He's a bit busy. But he'll be down soon. Had some uh… Weird space-ish stuff to look at. You know how he gets."

Sarah stared at him for a moment.

"Sure… Now… What're you hungry for?"

Jim thought for about a second, then his heart jumped when he saw Delbert running past the kitchen window. Sarah noticed, and turned to look.

"Did you see that?" she asked. Jim panicked slightly.

"What? See what? I didn't see anything! I mean, I saw something, but it was nothing! Heh."

Sarah raised an eyebrow, but let the subject drop. She turned to the stove and began cooking, knowing that if Jim or Delbert was up to something, it would come out eventually.

Outside, Delbert slung his bag over his shoulder and climbed into the transport. People looked at him, which was expected. He had this wild look in his eye, a knife hooked onto the belt of his torn pants, a strip of bullets crossing over the front of his black tshirt, and a big machine gun strapped to his back. He knew he looked like a terrorist. He sat at the very back, in the darkest corner. Everyone eventually looked away, and that was when Delbert slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out the picture of captive Amelia, and let out a long sigh. He let the picture fall into his lap, and closed his eyes.

"What am I doing…? I can't fight… I can look the part, but I can't actually face anyone…And if I could, I would get killed… Maybe I should… Call the police. Perhaps a professional would be better suited for a job like this…"

He opened one eye, and looked at the picture one more time. Amelia truly needed help… His help. Not some professional. A professional may know what he's doing, but the only reason he would do it would be to get his money. Delbert was doing it to save someone he… Really cared about. Plus…He was really determined to have that first date.

He examined the photo a bit longer, and felt a tear roll down his cheek. He took a deep breath and balled his other hand into a fist as he ran his thumb over Amelia's image.

"Don't worry. I'm on my way."

_**A/N: I am SO sorry I haven't updated anything lately… School is INSANELY hard. Anyway, REVIEW PLZ GUYS! C Ya Boofy! :D**_


	6. Chapter 6: Rescuing Her

Amelia's head was throbbing. She felt sick, but couldn't throw up. Her arms and legs were sore and bruised, and her nose burned. Her stomach growled, letting her know that it had been a while since she had been captured. She tried to scream, but every time she got up enough breath to do so, Alex sent huge volts of electricity through her body, making her go limp. He sat across the dimly-lit, hot, humid room, watching her groan in pain.

"How are you doing there, Amelia? Feeling any better?"

"You… You're a bloody monster…" she managed, her head aching.

Alexander merely laughed and patted her head, running his fingers through her damp hair.

"Poor, little, innocent, misled Amelia… She still thinks that I'm the bad guy… Well…" he smirked and yanked her head back so he could look her in the eyes. "I was the one whose heart was broken into a million pieces… So, as I see it, you are the monster here."

Amelia managed a quiet hiss as he let her head go.

"He's going to defeat you. You have no idea what he is capable of."

"Doctor Doppler? You honestly believe that untalented, clumsy, low-IQ dolt is going to beat me? You obviously have no idea who you're dealing with." He growled, sending a quick shock through her body and making her go limp.

He knelt next to her chair and tugged her ear to his lips.

"I'm going to murder him… And then, once I've forced you to watch him bleed to death… You will be next." He whispered. Hearing no protest from the barely-conscious Amelia, he stood and left the room, flicking the lights off.

Amelia was left alone in the darkness, her arms and legs numb, her ears ringing, and her will to fight gone. She listened as water dripped off in a corner, and heard the faint noises of the bustling spaceport outside. She sighed as she felt a bead of sweat roll down the side of her face. Her clothes were stuck to her body, and it was getting more and more hot. Amelia managed to lift her head a little and stared out into the darkness, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Delbert…Please hurry…"

**3 AGONIZING HOURS LATER**

"You didn't fall asleep on me, did ya?"

Amelia groaned and opened her eyes, hissing at the bright light in her eyes. Alex just laughed and untied her.

"C'mon. Someone is here to see you."

He picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, knowing that the muscles in her arms and legs were pretty much fried, and that she couldn't move. He carried her out of the dark room, through a long hallway, and out the back door. Blinding sunlight blasted in her face as he set her down in a cage and locked it.

"Now we wait here."

Amelia sighed as she slumped against the cold metal bars.

"You have no idea what you're up against, Alexander."

Alex smiled evilly.

"Neither does he."

_**IJEJERFRIRFFRFRKREFKER YOUR MOM LOL JK**_

Delbert ran as fast as he could. He knew exactly where Amelia was, and was determined to get there before Alex did something terrible to the love of his life. By the time he got to the spot where he thought she would be, his lungs were burning.

"I'm never going to find her…" he sighed as he leaned against a wall.

Suddenly, the wall shimmered and he fell through. He groaned as he hit his head on metal.

"Ow!"

"…Delbert?"

Delbert sat up instantly and found himself face-to-face with…

"Amelia?"

Amelia's face brightened as he clutched the bars and grinned, then his face fell when he saw the bruises.

"I'm glad I found you… Before he killed you… Are you alright? Can you move?"

Amelia sighed and closed her eyes.

"He electrocuted me so bleedin much that I can't even lift my arms or move my legs."

Delbert gently touched her cheek and smiled.

"Don't worry, I'll rescue you and get you to a hospital."

Amelia smiled and managed to lean against his hand.

"I…"

Suddenly, Delbert felt someone behind him.

"Aw… Isn't this sweet…"

Delbert spun around and growled, pulling out his knife.

"Alexander… I trusted you."

Alexander growled as Delbert stood up and faced him.

"As did I. I trusted you to BACK OFF! But you couldn't even do that, could you?"

Alex threw himself towards Delbert, swinging his brass knuckles. Delbert gasped and rolled out of the way. Alex recovered quickly and smirked.

"You really think she wants you? She doesn't even love you! She told me so!"

"You… You're a liar!" Amelia screamed, gasping as Alex shocked her as he had done many times before.

Delbert felt his blood boil as he swung his knife and left a long slit in Alex's shirt.

"You have no idea what I'm capable of, Alex. And believe me, you cannot handle it."

Alex hissed and kicked him in the stomach, sending him backwards, and slamming him against the bars of Amelia's cage. Amelia screamed in pain, then realized that the jolt had woken her legs up. She smirked and kicked a little, her smile growing.

"Delbert! Do that again!"

Delbert groaned and kicked Alex as he tried to jump at him. He shoved his foot into Alex's ribcage, causing him to cough and recoil for a moment. Delbert turned and grabbed the bars, staring at Amelia.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes… The shaking of the bars woke my legs up… Perhaps if you do it again, I could escape."

"Are you sure? Whoa!"

Delbert dodged a hard kick that ended up rattling the bars of Amelia's cage. Amelia screamed in pain as the bars rattled against her head.

"Agh! A-Actually now…I…I'm not so sure…"

Delbert looked at her, their eyes meeting, and time slowed down. Her face was scrunched up in pain, her hands were shaking…And the pleading look in her eyes… It broke his heart. Before he could say anything, Alex grabbed his collar and chucked him against a pile of barrels. The pain spread like wildfire through Delbert's entire body, and his knife flew out of his grasp and slid just barely out of his reach.

"Delbert, no!" Amelia cried, still helpless. Her arms were awake now, and she was working on the lock, but she couldn't focus.

Delbert tried to stand up, but the pain was unbearable. Alexander stood over him, smirking.

"Well… Isn't this interesting… You came to rescue her, and now you're about to die because you failed…"

He picked up Delbert's knife and smiled. Delbert groaned and coughed weakly.

"You'll never win. She doesn't want you."

"And who said I still wanted her?" Alex laughed. "Once im done with you… She'll be next."

Delbert felt his heart pounding painfully as Alex pulled out a small object and pushed a button. Amelia screamed in agony and tugged at her collar. Obviously, Alex had installed the shock chip in the collar of her shirt. Delbert growled as Alex pushed it again, laughing.

"STOP IT!" Delbert screamed.

Alex merely kicked him in the stomach and dropped Delbert's knife, shocking Amelia repeatedly. Delbert's vision washed red as he watched Alexander hurt Amelia like it was nothing.

"Alexander…"

Alexander spun around and blinked as Delbert got to his feet, his knife clutched in his hand. Alexander threw the remote and took a fighting stance.

"What? Do you honestly think you're going to defeat me? You've got to be kidding me. I see nothing special about you. No one does…Not even Amelia. I believe the only reason she puts up with you is because she pities you…"

"Don't you dare listen to him, Delbert!" Amelia screamed.

Delbert growled and knocked Alex off of his feet, twisted his arm, pulled his head back, and hissed in his ear.

"You have officially messed…With the wrong… Canid!"

And with that, Delbert cracked Alex on the side of the head with the butt of his knife, knocking him unconscious.

Satisfied with his work, Delbert stood up and threw his knife, then ran over to free Amelia.

_**A/N: HOPE YOU ENJOYED! :D REVIEW! C Ya Boofy!**_


	7. Chapter 7: Apprehensive

Amelia smiled and clung to him as Delbert dragged her out of her cage and proceeded to check her over. A light rain had begun to fall, and Delbert was being the over-protective. He dragged Amelia under an awning and proceeded to check her over a little.

"Are you alright? It doesn't look like there's any permanent damage…How are you feeling? Does your head hurt? Can you see straight?"

"Delbert."

"He didn't cut you did he? Are you bleeding? Your lip is a little bloody… We need to get you out of this rain, or you might get sick. He sure left a lot of bruises didn't he? I think you should go to a hospital…"

"Delbert…"

"I don't know how we could explain this… Maybe they won't ask…"

"Delbert!"

Delbert looked at Amelia's face, and blushed as she smiled. She still looked so beautiful, even with her hair soaked…sticking to her face, and bruises on her cheek…

"Delbert, I'm fine. Here's the plan. Once it stops raining, we go to the hospital, they patch me up, I get sent home…And then…" Amelia trailed off, averting her eyes.

It hadn't occurred to her that as soon as everything was back to normal…Everything...

Would be back to normal.

Delbert noticed how she had trailed off, and how she had begun staring out into the rain.

"And then…What?"

"…That's the question of the hour isn't it?" she mumbled.

She let out a sigh, and then tried to stand. Delbert watched her, his own heart aching numbly. He didn't want their relationship to end as soon as she was let go from the hospital. He really did like her a lot, and the last thing he wants is for her to be gone from his life. He wanted to be the one to protect her if someone else tried what Alex had. And no matter how much Amelia denied it, she truly did need him. She leaned against a support beam for the awning and cleared her throat.

"It seems as if the rain has slowed down…Perhaps we could go..."

Delbert sighed and stood up, then took her arm. She shot him an icy look, but he stayed surprisingly firm.

"You need the help, Amelia."

Amelia let out a frustrated sigh and relented. She let him get her settled in a spot where the ambulance would see her, then said he had to run back and take care of something. He hesitated, then kissed her forehead.

"I have unfinished business to attend to."

Alex woke up with a huge headache. His body ached, but he was so angry that he couldn't even focus on the pain.

"I'm gonna kill him. I'm gonna kill both of them…" he groaned as he managed to stand up on his wobbly legs.

Suddenly, he let out an insane scream as he felt something slash his back. He turned around slowly, feeling the blood run down his back. Delbert stood there, his knife dripping blood as he growled.

"I'm going to finish you off before you get a chance to hurt her again."

Alex felt his heart pounding as he realized just how serious Delbert was this time, but with the right words, he could be brought down. If Alex chose his words carefully… He might make it out alive.

"W-Well… I'll already have life in prison... W-Why would you n-need to kill me? Besides, Amelia will probably want to visit me once or twice…She wouldn't want you to kill me…

Delbert felt slightly less confident when Alex mentioned Amelia, who was currently waiting for him… Would she be angry at him for killing Alex? Or would she be happy? Or would she…Possible…Be sad…?

"It would be wrong to kill the man she truly wants… Why would you ever want to kill me, Delbert?"

Delbert's vision washed black. This man had caused him to suffer heartbreak and hurt the one he loved. Amelia would want him to do this. Alex took a step forward and reached for Delbert's knife.

"Why don't you just give me that and we just walk away…?"

Delbert growled, lunged forward and ran Alex completely through with his secret weapon, a long sword with a hook on the end for extreme pain. Alex gasped and his eyes widened, as Delbert grabbed his hair and growled.

"Because you hurt the love of my life. And for that, you don't deserve to live."

Alex's lifeless body hit the ground, and Delbert found himself panting slightly. Suddenly he heard sirens, and saw the bright red and blue lights. He glanced at Alex's lifeless body, then turned and ran back to Amelia. She gave him a questioning look, but Delbert merely gave her a "I'll tell you later" look, and she nodded.

_**At The Hospital…**_

Amelia was wide awake, the pain too much for her to sleep with. Her nurse was fussing over her, and it was highly annoying. The doctor had gotten her hooked up to a few IVs, and now Delbert was arguing with the doctor about some kind of cream procedure. They were outside the door, but Amelia could see that the doctor was getting frustrated.

"She would not be comfortable with strangers touching her right now."

"It would just be her nurse. She'll be fine. She needs it, or the pain will only get worse.

"Sir, I have known Amelia for a while now, and believe me, she does not need strangers touching her. You have no idea what she has gone through. Her trust had been betrayed, by someone she thought she could trust. If you were wise, you would listen to me."

The doctor hesitated, then looked into the hospital room and noticed how Amelia was hissing at her nurse, squirming and muttering obscenities.

"Well, how do you propose we take care of the issue?"

"We could… Um… Ask her about it. Isn't it true that the patient is often right?"

The doctor thought, then sighed.

"Alright. Ask her, and page her nurse when she makes a decision."

Delbert nodded and walked into the hospital room, blushing at how Amelia's face lit up. Delbert turned to face the nurse.

"Can I…Um… Talk to her in private?"

The nurse rolled her eyes and walked out. Amelia crossed her bruised arms and sighed.

"I detest hospitals…"

Delbert merely chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck, then sat down in the chair next to the hospital bed.

"Yes, it is a bit evident that you aren't enjoying your stay…"

Amelia rolled her eyes and looked at him, wondering why he suddenly seemed so nervous.

"This doctor obviously has no idea how to take care of actual, living, patients. Did you know he originally worked in a morgue?"

Delbert blinked.

"No…N-No I didn't know that… How did you find out?"

Amelia turned her attention to the TV in front of her, the channel turned to a showing of Titanic.

"While you were talking to him, the nurse told me. She's an awful gossip. By the way, what was it that you and the doctor were talking about?"

Delbert chuckled nervously and looked around, hoping that if he wasn't looking in her direction, it wouldn't feel so awkward.

"W-Well… In order to um… Reduce the amount of pain you endure… The… The doctor wanted to h-have the nurse put some pain-relieving cream on your bruises. I p-personally wanted to ask you first, knowing that you don't enjoy being touched by strangers… And he agreed that I should ask you, and then report to h-him what you decided…"

He looked at her, his heart pretty much stopped when he saw the playful smile on her face.

"You are right about that. I don't enjoy strangers putting anything on me. But, if the doctor insists that I use the cream… Perhaps someone who isn't such a stranger should apply it. Wouldn't you agree, Delbert?"

Delbert's brain was pretty much just soup right about now. The way she was smiling at him, it was a miracle that he hadn't fainted yet. He had had so much confidence earlier when he was fighting Alex…Now, he felt just as helpless as he had on the Treasure Planet voyage.

"Well…I suppose so…"

Amelia had to fight the urge not to grin. He was falling right into her little game.

"Then, you can tell the doctor that you will be the one."

Delbert practically coughed up his heart.

"What? I um…I don't know if…"

"Delbert, I am appalled. I thought you had my best interests at heart…" Amelia said, pouting.

"I d-do! I just…"

Suddenly, the door swung open, and Jim strolled in. He had a big smile on his face, and was completely dressed in his Academy uniform. Amelia's eyes widened slightly. Jim did look a little different since the last time she had seen him. His hair was cut pretty short, and he had gotten a bit more muscular.

"Hey Cap! Sup Doc!"

"Ah…Hello, Mr. Hawkins. What brings you here?"

Jim shifted awkwardly as he smoothed down his uniform.

"I heard about what happened."

Amelia stiffened as Jim's gaze drifted to Delbert. Delbert merely sighed, and gestured for Jim to sit.

"I have a feeling Sarah wasn't completely clear on the details of it all…"

Jim nodded as he sat in the chair next to Delbert.

"She just told me that the Captain got kidnapped and something bad happened."

"Perhaps I should tell you what really happened…" Delbert said, rubbing the back of his neck.

When Delbert began the story, Amelia was wide awake and listening quietly. When he was done, she was completely knocked out, cuddling the heated teddy bear that Delbert had bought her to help her adjust to the hospital room. She hadn't really touched it, kind of unsure of where their relationship stood, but now all she wanted was to be comforted. And seeing how they were still a bit apprehensive, snuggling with the teddy bear seemed like the next best option.

Delbert noticed how she was clinging to the bear, and his heart soared. Things were probably going to be a bit awkward for a while, but they would get back on track, even if Delbert had to rescue her a billion times.

_**A/N: HHHEEEYYYY :D sorry but school is getting really stressful… and I don't really have loads of time anymore…But I'll update as much as I can! Oh and also, I'm taking requests now for one shots. So inbox those requests, and I'll get em out! REVIEW! C Ya Boofy! :D**_


	8. Chapter 8: Sick

**LAST CHAPPIE! Hope you enjoyed all of it!**

"Achoo!"

Delbert groaned as he rolled onto his side, struggling to get out of bed. He and Amelia had gotten caught out in the rain the night before, when he had brought her to his house so she could rest after all that she had gone through with Alexander. Apparently, cold rain and a freezing wind was the perfect formula for a cold.

"Delbert? Are you alright? Did you just sneeze?"

Delbert froze as he heard Amelia speak to him through the wall. He had settled her in the guest room right next to his, so he could keep an eye on her, or rather an ear.

"Um... N-No! Go back to sleep, I'm alright!" He said, his voice sounding wierd because of his stuffed nose.

When he didn't hear a response, he thought he was in the clear. He coughed a few times, then slowly climbed out of bed. He stretched a little, sneezed, and then gasped when he noticed Amelia standing there. She had little band aids all over her arms and legs, but other than that she seemed fine.

"You're sick."

Delbert blinked and chuckled nervously.

"heh. N-No... I'm just a little um... Out of it. You should still be in bed, Amelia... You're not completely healed yet..."

Amelia rolled her eyes as he tried to guide her back to her bedroom.

"Delbert I'm fine. You, on the other hand, are not. You're definitely sick, and I believe that since Ms. Hawkins and Jim have moved out, I will be taking care of you."

"W-What? N-No that's not necessary... I need to take care of you."

He sneezed, and Amelia crossed her arms.

"No. Now, back to bed with you."

Delbert finally relented, and walked to his bedroom. He laid down, and pouted.

"I'm not sick."

Amelia rolled her eyes and went downstairs to make him some soup. When she came back upstairs, he was standing up, looking through his closet.

"Delbert."

"Ah!"

Delbert jumped as Amelia set his soup on his bedside table, and crossed her arms.

"What are you doing?"

"Um...I was... Getting dressed because I'm not sick and I need to take care of you!"

"I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself! You need to be tended to!"

Delbert had walked over to her, and was now standing right in front of her, too angry to realize how close they were.

"No! I promised myself when we first got to the hospital that I would take care of you, no matter what I felt like!"

"There's no point in taking care of someone who is not even in danger!"

"You... Ugh, you are so stubborn, woman!"

"You're no better!"

They were silent for a moment, then Delbert's eyes softened and he used his hand to brush her hair behind her ear. She blushed and smiled at him.

"You have no idea how attractive you are when you're mad..."

Delbert merely laughed.

"Believe me, you outdo me when you're angry... You always look so cute..."

Amelia blushed harder, smirked, and wrapped her arms around his neck. He blushed and stared at her.

"U-Um... I... Amelia, I'm sick... You're gonna get sick too..."

"Finally you admit it, and yet, I don't care now."

Delbert's eyes widened as she kissed him for the first time, in a very long time. Eventually he relaxed, pulled her closer, and kissed her back. By the time they pulled away, both of them felt alot better.

A/N: C YA BOOFY! :D


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